John Ignatius Bleasdale (1822–28 June 1884) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
-born Roman Catholic
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
, chemist and
mineralogist
Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proce ...
active in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and president of the
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in the state of Victoria in Australia.
Foundation
In 1854 two organisations formed with similar aims and membership, these being ''The Philosophical Society of Victoria'' (fou ...
in 1865.
Bleasdale was born in
Kirkham in
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
. He was educated at private schools in
Preston, then trained to become a priest (1835 to 1845), first at the
English College, Lisbon, in Portugal then, forced to return to England by ill health, at St Mary’s College,
Oscott
Oscott is a ward in the northwest of Birmingham, England, within the formal district of Perry Barr.
The Ward is centred on the area known as Old Oscott, originally just "Oscott", and should not be confused with nearby New Oscott. It includes th ...
in
[ Birmingham. Following his ordination by Cardinal Wiseman, Bleasdale served as a military chaplain in Weedon][ in Britain. He arrived in ]Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...
in 1851 and was appointed to the mission in Geelong
Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...
. In 1855 he became vice-president of St Patrick's College in Melbourne. He was for several years private secretary to the Bishop of Melbourne.[Heaton, J. Henniker ''Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of their Time'' George Robertson, Sydney 1879]
Bleasdale was a foundation member of the Melbourne Microscopical Society, a fellow of the Geographical and Linnean societies and honorary member of Medical Society of Victoria. He was also one of the leading advocates for wine in Victoria.
Bleasdale migrated to California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
in 1877, where he held honorary positions as secretary of the Microscopical Society and the Viticultural Society, and provided advice to Californian vinegrowers. He died in San Francisco on 28 June 1884.
Frank Potts (1815–1890) named his Bleasdale Winery in Langhorne Creek, South Australia
Langhorne Creek (formerly Langhorne's Creek) is a town in South Australia. At the 2016 census, Langhorne Creek had a population of 427.
Wine Industry
Langhorne Creek has a wine history dating back to 1850. Traditionally a red wine growing d ...
, for him though there is no evidence the two ever met.[Potts, Lorraine M. (ed.) ''Frank Potts of Langhorne Creek; his children and grandchildren'' Potts Family Historical Committee, Langhorne Creek 2004 ]
References
Findings – Chronology of Wine as a Medicine
University of Western Sydney
Bright Sparcs, University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bleasdale, John
1822 births
1884 deaths
English emigrants to Australia
People from Kirkham, Lancashire